Fill a plasitc pop bottle one third full with water. Add tempera paint & about 1/3 cup of liquid detergent. Let the children shake the bottle to make colored bubbles. I like to tape the cap on using masking tape.

Prints from bubbles make an unusual art activity and lots of warm weather fun when the projects are completed outdoors! In a bowl, combine tempera paint with a small amount of liquid detergent, joy works best. Using a straw, blow into the mixture until bubbles extend over the rim of the bowl. Quickly place a sheet of white construction paper over the top of the bowl; then remove the paper and let the resulting "bubble print" dry. For double bubble fun, repeat the procedure several times using differently sized bowls and a variety of paint colors. Mount the completed projects atop slightly larger sheets of colored construction
paper.

Traveling Bubble

After some free-exploration time with bubble blowing, give each child a sheet
of paper. Direct her to draw a picture of where she imagines her bubble
traveling. If time permits, write each child's dictated sentence on her
picture.

~Submitted by Jane

Rainbow Bubbles

Cut a circle from a sheet of white tagboard; then cut out the center to
create a ring. Glue a slightly larger sheet of waxed paper to each side of
the ring. After the glue dries, trim the excess waxed paper from around the
ring. Then have the child use watercolor markers in a rainbow of colors to
decorate her bubble. After she has applied the desired colors on one side of
her bubble, have her wipe away the beaded marker drops from the surface so
that a colorful opaque appearance results. Then have her repeat the process
on the other side of the bubble.

~Submitted by Jane

Bubble Painting

I add food coloring to my bubble mixture, then blow your bubbles through your wand. The children try to catch the bubbles with a piece of white construction paper, (cut into any shape you wish).
This makes a beautiful design. Just make sure the children are wearing smocks, because sometimes the bubbles land on them. And because of the food coloring it will stain their clothing.

Add a small amount of food coloring to bubbles. Hang a piece of paper up like on a fence etc...give each child some bubbles and have them blow them at the paper. When the bubbles hit the paper they will burst and make a cool design on the paper. Have children trade colors with each other for different
colored bubbles on their paper. I would have the children wear gloves and keep a close eye on smaller ones, or they could have colored lips LOL LOL LOL also make sure that the bubbles will not land somewhere that shouldn't be dyed. This project should be done on a very calm day!
~Submitted by Karen in KS

Stir the dishwashing soap with water and paint in the bowl, then have the children blow bubbles in the mixture. Please be sure to remind them not to suck in through the straw, but to blow out. And when you have enough bubbles that are coming up over the top, place the white paper over them and it leaves a nice 'picture'. Keep doing this till the paper is covered. You can use the paper to wrap a gift such as for Father's Day.

~Submitted by Anna in MA

Bubble Prints

We do bubble prints at our school. This is how we do it:
Put dish soap (a lot, you'll have to play with measurements), water and tempera paint in container (we use our easel paint cups). The child (or adult) blows into the cup to make bubbles. "Take a picture" of the bubbles by putting a paper over the top of the cup. Caution...... talk about blowing out not
sucking in the bubble water. Put a tray under the cup as this gets quite messy. Have a camera ready...It's a Kodak moment.

Bubble Art

Combine food coloring and the bubble solution in a paper cup or bowl and have the children use straws to blow into the mixture until it froths. Gently lay a piece of paper over the bubbles, which will stick to the paper, and watch as they collapse and leave a colorful pattern.

Bubble Wrap

Cut bubble wrap into small pieces and let them dip on paint and then press on paper - interesting designs and not the official liquid bubble but a variation on the theme.

Bubble Pens

Mix a tablespoon of dry tempera paint with a simple bubble
solution of 2 tablespoons dishwashing liquid and 1/2 cup water. Pour a small amount into a clean glue bottle. Shake the bottle really hard to create bubbles and make designs on paper.

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts ChildCare

Cut a circle from white tagboard, then cut out the center to form a ring. Glue a little larger piece of wax paper behind the ring. Use watercolor markers to decorate bubble and wipe away the beaded marker drops to create an opaque look.

Bubble Makers

Bodacious Blowers

- Cut out the center of a margarine tub lid. Dip the flat side of the ring
into a container of solution.
- Cut of the top third of a plastic soda bottle. Edge the wide end of the
blower with vinyl tape. Dip the narrow end into the bubble solution and blow through the wide end.
- Cut of the bottom of the remainder of the soda bottle. Edge one end of the
tube with vinyl tape. Dip the unfinished end of the tube into the bubble solution and blow through the taped end.
- Dip one end of a piece of rigatoni or wagon-wheel pasta into the bubble
solution and blow through the other end.
- Dip the frames of a pair of sunglasses (without lenses) into the bubble
solution. Blow each side to create double bubbles.
- Dip a cookie cutter into the bubble solution.

~Submitted by Jane

Personally, when I make the HUGE bubbles, all I use is a piece of
cotton string, about 24 inches long, then I tie the two ends together, dip the string (and my hands) into the mix. Carefully open, and hold open so that you can see the film of soap, pull backwards, and Tada!! I have made bubbles over 6 feet in length. It is very easy this way. I hope I have given you some info you haven't heard of!

Instead of the wands that you have to blow into we use those green strawberry baskets and turn in circles. This makes it much more fun and makes a lot more bubbles. My kids love this.

Directions:
Cut a piece of plastic canvas 5 holes wide and 12 holes long. Be sure to keep the plastic mesh intact on both side. Counting down 6 holes, cut in from each side, one hole, making a paddle shape that is 3 holes wide at one end and 5 holes wide at the other. This is the bubble want. Punch a small hole in the lid of the film canister. Thread one end of the lanyard through this hole from outside inward. Thread the lanyard through the center of the 3 hole end of the plastic bubble want. Bring the lanyard back up through the same hole in the lid of the canister. Draw both ends even and place the pony bead over both lanyard
thread. Hot blue the pony beat to the top of the canister lid and glue the bubble wand to the inside of the lid. Fill the canister with bubbles, replace the lid on the bottom and tie the ends of the lanyard together to form a necklace.

~Submitted by Jane

Straws

Take a piece of yarn and string on 2 straws. Cut
string and tie. Take the straws and make a square
shape by bending straws then dip into bubble mixture.
Spin around and let the breeze blow the Bubbles.

Using Hands

Put your hands in the bubble juice and place your pointer fingers and thumbs together (making a circle). Then you can pull your hands out and blow through your circle. You don't need a bubble wand!

More Wand ideas

* For bubble makers we have had great fun with the plastic rings from soda pop six packs.
* Plastic hangers from children's clothing (the kind with lots of enclosed spaces) also work well.
* We've also used tin cans with both ends removed - just be careful of sharp edges.
* Use pipe cleaners to make bubble wands. They can bend into any shape and size and they work very well.
* You could also use string and straws. Use a large piece of string and thread on 2 straws. Tie the string at the ends. The straws become the handles. The children hold onto the straws, gently insert the string, pull up, and big bubbles
are made.
* My FAVORITE bubble wand is the flyswatter. Purchased a dozen or more of the cheap models at a dollar store. They make dozens of bubbles fly out all over the place. The kids are currently in to dipping the flyswatters in the soap mixture and then turning around in circles with the swatters held straight out.
* Large wooden stringing bead, canning ring, plastic bracelet, funnel, the letter "O" magnet
* Cookie Cutters

Homemade Bubble Wand

Cut off the lip from around one plastic lid (from small margarine tubs, etc.) for each child. Punch many holes in the lid with a paper hole puncher. Clip a spring type clothespin onto your punched lid to make a handle. Dip your completed Homemade Wand into bubble solution. Blow on your wand or gently wave through the air to make bubbles.

BUBBLE GADGETS

Prepare a bubble solution and make some bubbles! Try and use of the following to make great bubbles.

*plastic berry baskets *pipe cleaners or thin electrical wire shaped into wands
*six-pack holders *egg poacher trays
*funnels
*scissory-hold the blades and dip the finger holders into the bubble solution
*tin cans - open at both ends
*paper cups- poke a hole in the bottom of a paper cup. Dip the rim into a bubble solution and blow therough the hole.
*plastic straws-Use a single straw or tape several together in a bundle.
*Straws and string-thread three feet of thin thread through two plastic straws. tie the string together. Hold the straws and pull them to form a rectangle with the string. Dip into a bubble solution and pull upward. as you move the frame, a bubble will form. Bring the two straws together to close off the bubble. This technique requires practice.
*hula hoop-Fill a small wading pool with two inches of bubble solution. The hula hoop can be used as a giant wand by dipping the hoop in a solution and lifting it up carefully.

Fly Swatters

Dip a plastic fly swatter into the bubble solution; then wave it through the air.

Six-At-A-Time Bubble Wand

Tape a set of plastic, soda-can rings to one end of a dowel. Dip the rings in the bubble solution; then
wave them through the air.

Berry Baskets

Grocery stores have lots of these. If you ask they will give them to you for nothing. Dip the basket into the bubble solution and wave it through the air.

In The Kitchen

Bubble Cakes

Serve Bubble Cakes, which are cupcakes decorated with pink frosting and mini-marshmallows. A cup of milk goes great with cake, add a loopy straw for blowing bubbles!!

~Submitted by Cheryl's Sweethearts Childcare

Bubbling Juice

Pour club soda into clear individual glasses until half full. Have the children take a glass and watch the bubbles. Then fill up the glasses with orange juice and let the children drink and enjoy the bubbling juice.